“From King’s Coronation to Commoners, Astrology in Thailand Is Everywhere.” 22 Apr. 2019,
ISB blends two worlds, helping the East and West intermingle and fuse into one. Astrology is one way these cultures both collide and overlap. Khun Emma, Instructional Assistant in the Learning Hub and Delaney Edsall, current senior, help illustrate how the East sometimes takes astrology more seriously than the West.
Khun Emma has made significant decisions based on the advice from an astrologer. She was once named Apple but now is Emma because she was advised that her new name will give her fortune and success. Changing her name was meant to get rid of bad luck. “As I was born in Thailand, all those things like astrology or fortune tellers have been around Thai society for a long long time. I do believe most people live with it and most people, especially right now that the economy is declining, simply rely on the supernatural to keep their motivation up and have faith.” Khun Emma also changed her phone number. She heard from her friends that they noticed a positive change after the number was changed. “So I talked to Khun VIjit and Khun Vijit suggested the other astrologist that specializes with names.” Obviously, Khun Emma’s friends also value astrology as well.
Changing names or phone numbers alone won’t cause any significant adjustments in our life, yet discipline and determination will. “I believe that the bad luck is gone…maybe changing my name boosted my confidence which will better the outcome.” Khun Emma suggests that changing names or numbers won't give you a fortune, but what has changed from making decisions based on astrology is faith which will heavily boost motivation and confidence.
Delaney Edsall, a senior from the US who grew up in a Catholic household, has lived in Southeast Asia for almost her entire life, “I’m a part of American culture as well as international school culture, if that’s a thing.” Therefore she has been exposed to various belief systems, thus encouraging inclusivity. She is not the type to take up a hardline belief in anything until she can properly justify it to her and defend her position. Delaney confirms this through saying “ I would never let my birth date and time completely define my personality and relationship”, and this reflects her individualistic upbringing, not making decisions based on things which aren’t proven or factual. “My friends and I would compare our Co-Star results and stuff and laugh at some of the weirdly specific things that pop up, but to be honest I don’t really pay that much attention to astrology anymore.” Delaney suggested that she mainly uses astrology for entertainment purposes.
In addition, Delaney still thinks that astrology could be a useful tool to learn about yourself and others. “One thing I’ve learned from some of my friends that practice different types of spirituality is that most spiritual practices are most effective as tools for figuring out who you are and what you want, and it isn’t about passing all your decisions off to some supernatural force.” Delaney is considered to be a taurus based on her birthday and she used the positive traits of that to develop confidence as said “For example, after learning that my star sign is Taurus, I embraced the fact that Tauruses are meant to be loyal, down to earth, and ambitious, as those are all traits I’d like to see in myself.” Sometimes, discovering ourselves from without can help us pinpoint what is hidden from within.
Khun Emma and Delaney may perceive supernatural and astrology differently but they all embrace positivity, faith, and confidence that exists within astrology and transfer them into a different tool, therefore the East and West blend into one at the end.